“And how did she do that my lad?”
The same way you undoubtedly softened your own lord out of a fit of the glooms,” he grinned.
“Wretch!” She swatted at him. “Come along, nephew. If I am to move in by Christmas, I had best see how the work is coming along. Find the foreman for me.”
While he went to do her bidding, she walked up to the second floor of the house which was built in the shape of an H. Walking into the gallery that made up the crosspiece of the H, she smiled in satisfaction. The sun had come out and golden light was pouring in through the windows, which were staggered on both sides of the long room so that no two faced each other. They were tall, mullioned windows shaped like inverted U’s and between them were expanses of wall that would soon be covered with paintings and tapestries. At each comer of the gallery she had had fireplaces built. Filled with lights, it would be a lovely place to sit.
It was here Hugh and the foreman found her, and after a few minutes of discussion, she was satisfied that the house would soon be ready. Riding back she turned to her nephew.
“I think I shall annoy Anne tonight and wear my new green velvet gown.”
“I trust it is sufficiently low cut in the newest fashion.”
“Very. Ye’ve been talking to my Ruth.”
“I like talking to Ruth.”
“Unless you decide to marry her, make sure talk is all you do, my fine buck. Marian is my friend, as well as my servant I look on Ruth as I would my own daughter. She is not to be seduced.”
“Yes, m’lady,” he grinned at her.
“Arrogant ape,” she chuckled at him. “I mean it Now, let’s race! My Devil Wind against your Thunderer!”
Both horses surged forward. Neither rider saw the lone horseman on the hill above them. He had been there several times in the last few weeks, but so secure were Janet and her nephew in the safety of their own land, they had not noticed.
“I think,” said the master of Grayhaven to his horse, “that it is time I paid a visit to Glenkirk.”
42
HAD ANNE LESLTE not been so openly interfering of Janet, and constantly annoyed that the sister-in-law she had expected to be old, and poverty-stricken, was, instead, a beautiful and wealthy woman, Janet might not have taken such pains with her appearance that night Her late entrance into the Great Hall at the dinner hour momentarily stopped all conversation.
She wore a velvet gown of forest green, its low-cut bodice embroidered in gold thread, tiny topaz, and pearls. On her head was a green velvet cap edged in gold lace and pearls with a soft gold gauze veil that flowed behind her, covering her pale red-gold hair. Around her slender neck she wore a magnificent rope of creamy pearls.
Adam rushed from the dais to lead his sister to the main table where Anne barely nodded to her greeting of “Good even, sister.” But before she could be seated, Adam was introducing her to his guest
“Janet this is Lord Hay, the master of Grayhaven.”
Automatically she extended her hand and raised her green-gold eyes to a pair of heavy-lidded leaf-green ones that lingered a moment too long on her décolletage.
“Colin!”
“So you remember.” He smiled. “You were but a wee bit of a little girl when we last met”
“And you a great gawky boy, my lord.”
Seating her, he drew his chair next to hers and offered Janet his goblet She drank sparingly, grimacing as she did.
“Aye,” he chuckled. “The lady Anne knows naught about wines.”
“A kind way of saying my dear sister-in-law keeps a poor table. In my father’s day we bought the best, but Anne buys what is least costly.”
“You havena changed, my dear. You are as open as ever. It seems I remember a wee maid at court who fought the beauteous Lady Gordon over that rogue, Lord Bothwell. What were you? Ten? Eleven?”
She laughed. “I dinna know ye were at court then. It was just before we sailed for San Lorenzo.”
“I was a squire to my cousin, the earl of Enroll. I was in the Great Hall that night you fought wi’ the Gordon woman. It was talked of for months after, and then when you were lost, it was talked of again.”
“I wasna lost, my lord Hay. I was stolen from my family and sold into slavery. I was fortunate enough to be married to a great lord, and have lived a good life.” She said it simply and with dignity. “Of course, you married too, did ye not?”
“Three times—once I got over the disappointment of losing you.”
“What?”
“I admired ye greatly, and my father thought he might be able to talk to your father and arrange a match between us. But alas! Before he could, ye went away to San Lorenzo and never returned.”
“So instead ye wed three wives and outlived them all. I consider myself lucky to hae escaped ye, my lord. What of yer children?”
“Only three living, though there were several started that died. I hae two sons and a daughter who is a nun. And your
“I bore my lord four sons, two of whom were killed in wars. Only the eldest, and the youngest live. I also hae a daughter. I left nine grandchildren behind. And then, of course, I have Charles’s two here.”
His eyes again caressed the soft swell of her breasts. “I find it hard to believe ye are a grandmother, let alone to eleven brats.”
“Ye are overbold, my lord.”
“As are you, madame. If ye dinna want yer breasts admired, ye shouldna display them so openly. I should, however, like to see more.”
She flushed and to cover her embarrassment bit into a chicken wing. “I wore this dress,” she said quietly between bites, “to annoy Anne.”
“Ye’ve succeeded admirably, my dear. She’s not stopped looking daggers at you since you made your entrance. She has always fancied herself a beauty, and ye hae stolen her show.”
“From the moment I arrived she has been furious wi’ me. She had pictured some poor, beaten and elderly hag who she would begrudgingly feed and house—and she expected plaudits for her Christian generosity! She canna forgive me for being reasonably attractive in my old age, and a rich woman to boot!”
“Yer hardly old, madame. In fact I am seriously contemplating the delights of bedding ye.”
“Sir! I am widowed ten years, and a grandmother.”
“Madame! I see the full breasts of a young woman, a tiny waist that my hands could easily span; and I’ll wager beneath yer skirts are long legs, and soft, round hips. I would explore it all, Janet” He leaned over and kissed her neck. She trembled, for his lips burned her skin, and turning quickly away she began to talk to her brother. Beside her she heard Colin Hay laugh softly.
His admiration and obvious desire embarrassed her. The Turks were a sensual people, but never showed affection publicly. She wasn’t used to the freedom enjoyed here. She blushed to see the men around her openly admiring the women, and even caressing them.
Later an old minstrel sang songs that brought back to her memories of a childhood spent in this very castle. She stood, her back to the hall, gazing into the orange-red flames of a roaring fire and thinking about her life. Suddenly she jumped. Coming up behind her, Colin Hay had clamped his arm tightly around her waist He drew her back against him.
“I want you!” he whispered.
“Let me go,” she hissed at him, “or I shall shout the hall down!”
“I shall come tonight” he said quietly, and loosed her.
Angrily she stomped away to find her brother and bid him good night Adam Leslie and his wife sat on the dais listening to the songs.
“I bid ye good night Adam, and ye also, Anne.”
“So early, my dear,” said Adam.
“Adam,” said Lady Anne sweetly, “let yer sister go. At her age she needs her sleep.”
“But I go not to sleep, Anne. I go to bathe. For the last half hour yer servants hae been lugging water up to my tower. Ye might try it sometime. Not only does it soften the skin and keep it young looking, but it also banishes bad odors.” The lady Janet’s
honeyed voice fooled no one.
Ruth appeared from the shadows to escort her mistress to her apartment. “Ye look like a thundercloud, madame.”
Janet whirled on her. “Of course I look like a thundercloud! I hae spent a lovely evening fending off my sister-in-law’s shrewish tongue and Lord Hay’s indecent proposals!”
Ruth began to giggle. “My lady is more than a match for Lady Anne. As to Lord Hay, all the men are lusty here. It is very different from our old home.”
A little smile touched Janet’s lips. “You like it, don’t ye Ruth? Ye are happy?”
“Oh yes, madame. I do, and I am!”
By now they had arrived at Janet’s tower apartment, and passing through the anteroom they climbed the last flight of stairs to the bedroom where Marian waited, dozing in a chair. The fire in the hearth burned high and hot, for Janet, with a complete disregard for her sister-in-law Anne’s sparing ways, had insisted on plenty of wood. Before the hearth stood a large, steaming, round oak tub.
“Let yer mother sleep, Ruth. Help me to undress and then take her to her bed.”
The younger woman helped Janet to disrobe and assisted her into the tub. Carefully Ruth brushed the green gown and placed it along with the rest of her mistress’s clothing and jewels in the garderobe off the bedroom. Gently she laid a sheer, black silk nightgown and robe at the foot of the bed.
“Marian,” called Janet quietly. The older woman woke. “Go to bed, my friend. Ruth, help yer mother to her bed and then come back to help me.”
Alone, Janet luxuriated in the warmth of the bath, the creamy, sweet-scented soap, and the quiet of the night She was having a proper Turkish bath put into her own house, but until then, this great, tall wooden tub would do her. Suddenly she felt a draft as the door to her bedroom opened. Lord Hay walked into the room.
“Good evening, my dear, Is yer tub big enough for both of us? Aye. I see it is.” He removed his doublet and shirt and began to strip off his trunk hose.
“Get out!” she shouted. “I’ll scream the castle down if ye dinna get out!”
“Dinna be foolish, my dear. No one will hear ye high up in yer tower.” He was completely naked now.
“Ruth is coming back. She will go for help.”
Mounting the two steps to the tub, Colin Hay stepped into the hot water and faced her. “I have dismissed Ruth for the night She has gone to her virgin bed.”
“You dared?!”
Reaching out he drew her resisting body towards him. Bending he found her mouth, and gently, but possessively, kissed it He released her. “Now, sweetheart, scrub my back.”
She screamed her rage at him in Turkish, but Colin Hay just laughed.
“All right” he said. “I’ll do yer back first”
Spinning her around he lathered her smooth, long back with the soap, then washed and rinsed it Finished, he pulled her against him, and cupping her breasts in his hands began to tease the nipples. She squirmed away from him, and grabbing the bath brush brandished it at him.
“You bastard!”
“My back, madame.”
“Will ye get out of my tub, then?”
“Aye.”
Angrily she attacked his back, scrubbing it so hard it turned beet red. When she had finished, he calmly climbed out of the tub and began to towel himself dry. She could not help but look at him, for other than Selim, she had never seen a naked man.
Colin Hay was big, standing at least six foot three inches. She knew he was fifty-five, but his body was lean and well-muscled, its smoothness marred only by a few old sword scars. His wavy hair was still midnight black with just a touch of silver at the temples. His wind-tanned face was handsome and craggy, with a high, wide forehead, long straight nose, a generous mouth, and those strange, leaf-green eyes which looked out from beneath thick-lashed eyelids that were always half-closed.
He stood straight now and faced her, and of his masculinity there was no doubt. She flushed as under her fascinated gaze his manhood became large and swollen. She could not seem to draw her eyes away from it
He laughed softly and holding out his hand commanded her, “Come.”
“I have no intention of getting out of this tub, Lord Hay, until you dress yourself and leave my apartments,” she returned coldly.
He reached the tub in two strides, and mounting the steps hauled her dripping from the water. Wrapping her struggling body in a towel he forcibly sat her in front of the fireplace. So black was his look that she dared not speak. Her heart was pounding violently with rage and fright.
“Madame, you try my patience! I told ye earlier I intended making love to ye tonight and I do. God knows I’ve waited forty years to do so!”
“Do ye take me for a fool?” she exploded. “Do ye expect me to believe that because ye watched me at court when I was but a child, ye hae been pining for me all these years? Aside from your three marriages, I’ll wager ye’ve been in every bed between here and the border, up to the isles and back! And now ye would add me to yer collection. I’ll kill ye first!”
As she launched herself at him, the towel that was covering her fell to the ground. As she reached to pick it up, the master of Grayhaven had snatched it away, and before she could stop him, he tumbled her back onto her bed and flung himself on top of her. She fought him violently, clawing and scratching.
Cruelly he forced her legs apart and sliding between them, he drew them up and over his shoulders. Shrieking as she realized his intent she tried to squirm out of his reach, but he held her buttocks in his big hands. Like silken fire his tongue touched her here and there—teasing, tantalizing, taunting. Sobbing, her control lost she moaned her desire and shame as his tongue plunged repeatedly into her throbbing softness. Her body arched to meet his mouth, but he slipped up and over her, and kissing the tears on her cheeks, plunged into her. He moved smoothly and rhythmically until she cried out her relief. He quickly followed.
For a few minutes only their rapid breathing broke the stillness. Then Janet rose shakily from the bed and stood by the fireplace. Tears ran silently down her face. Finally she spoke.
“You Westerners call the peoples of the East uncivilized infidels, but never in all my years in Barbary was I treated by any man as you have treated me tonight. As a maiden my innocence was cherished and respected. As my lord’s wife and later as his widow I was honored. You are the barbarian, Lord Hay! You have had you way wi’ me, now get out!”
Instead he rose from the bed and moving quickly lifted her up and lay her back on the bed again. She tried to escape him, but he laughed at her futile attempts. Slowly his mouth traveled the length of her body burning deeply each spot it touched. Now his big body blotted out her slender one. She could feel her own desire mounting again, and head thrashing from side to side, she moaned and tried to fight it down. He would not let her, and with a skill that terrified her, the master of Grayhaven raped her once again.
Exhausted for the moment they lay wordlessly upon the bed. Then mustering the little strength she had left, Janet crawled to the farthest corner of the bed, and pulling the coverlet over herself, fell asleep. He knew the battle was not yet over but left her alone for the moment and wrapping the rest of the coverlet around his own body, he, too, slept.
When he awoke, the early dawn was just beginning to chase the night Rolling over, he found her sprawled still sleeping, on her back. Awake she did not look her age, but asleep she was a girl again. Her lovely hair billowed about her. He allowed his eyes the pleasure of traveling the length of the lovely body be had so cruelly loved but a few hours back.
“My god, Jan,” he whispered softly. “You are extravagantly beautiful,”
“My husband once said the same thing, Colly.”
He started. “I dinna realize ye were awake.”
“I was not until ye spoke. For many years I was wakened each day by a slave telling me it was time to arise. The sound of a voice always wakens me.” She reached out to draw the coverlet over herself.
“Don’t
!”
“Please, my lord.”
“What do ye hide I havena already seen?” Gently he drew her close, and while one arm cradled her, his other hand began to fondle her breasts.
“Colin, no! No more!” she pleaded. “Until last night I knew only one man, my husband. Ye have twice shamed me. I can bear no more.”
“Ye hae been widowed ten years, sweetheart Had it been he who was left, would he have been so celibate?”
“Ye hae made me a whore.”
“I would make ye my wife.”
“Never!”
“By God, madame! Ye act as if I had insulted ye by offering ye my name!”
She started to laugh. “Oh, Colly! Don’t ye understand? My whole life has been controlled by men. This is the first time I’ve ever been in control of my own destiny. Neither Adam nor Charles would dare to interfere wi’ me, and I am wealthy in my own right I like it! If I married ye, then ye would hae the right to control both me and my money. I should never be free again.”
“My God, Janet, I want ye for my own!”
As she cradled his head against her breasts she thought Why not? I shall be an old woman soon. Why should I not take my pleasure while I may. He had no wife to hurt and I want him as much as he wants me. Perhaps even more!
She said quietly. “Ye shall have me for yer own, my lord; and ye shall be the envy of every man in Scotland—including the king himself—for the beautiful and wealthy Lady Leslie will be yer mistress.”
“Janet!”
“But betray me even once wi’ another woman, my lord, and ye’ll nae enter my bed again.”
Her hand wound into his dark hair, and she pulled his head down to her. For the first time she kissed him willingly, and her lips were softly fragrant beneath his. He caught his breath in surprise as she scattered little kisses over his body. Now she was beneath him, her body moving more voluptuously as each minute went by. “Not yet,” she murmured in his ear, holding him back.
The Kadin Page 41